And the Winner Is…

Last month, the Fergus Falls Public Library celebrated March Madness with its 4th annual Spring Showdown literary tournament. The theme was “Battle of the Book Series” and community members voted for their favorite series from March 3-29. There were four different categories of books: Children’s, Children’s Graphic Novels, Young Adult, and Adult. We started with 64 series and ended with our four winners. There were close match-ups every week, with multiple series only moving on by one or two votes. “The Lord of the Rings” series beat the “Empyrean” series by two votes while the “Twilight” series lost to the “Throne of Glass” series by only two votes. The “Dog Man” series beat “The Baby-Sitters” club series by two votes and the “Magic Tree House” series and the “Chronicles of Narnia” series were both edged out by the “Harry Potter” series in back-to-back weeks by only one vote! The saying, “every vote counts” is quite true – at least we found it to be so with our voting brackets.

The final eight book series included: “Wings of Fire” series by Tui T. Sutherland and “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, “Dog Man” series by Dav Pilkey and “Narwhal and Jelly” series by Ben Clanton, “Divergent” series by Veronica Roth and “Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins, and “The Lord of the Rings” series by J.R.R Tolkien and “Outlander” series by Diana Gabaldon. Participants also had the opportunity to submit their name in a drawing for a free book and a punch card to use at the Friends of the Library Bookstore (located inside the library). Over 750 votes were cast, the highest amount of community participation we have had for this program…so thank YOU! Curious as to which series were the ultimate champions? The winning series, listed below, are all available for checkout through the Viking Library System.

“Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Children’s Bracket Winner)

The “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a collection of autobiographical novels that chronicle the adventures of the Ingalls family as they travel across the American Midwest in the late 19th century. The books, primarily told from the perspective of Laura, follow her experiences as she grows up in various frontier locations. Throughout the series, themes of hard work, resilience, family, and pioneer spirit are explored. The books offer a nostalgic and heartfelt look at life on the American frontier, blending historical facts with personal experiences.

“Dog Man” series by Dav Pilkey (Children’s Graphic Novel Bracket Winner)

The “Dog Man” series by Dav Pilkey is a popular graphic novel series that follows the adventures of a half-dog, half-man superhero named Dog Man. The books blend humor, action, and heartwarming moments, making them appealing to readers of all ages. Pilkey’s books are known for their comic-style illustrations, playful humor, and memorable characters. They focus on themes of friendship, justice, and the importance of doing the right thing, all while being engaging and fun. The books also explore the ups and downs of being a hero, including dealing with personal growth, making mistakes, and learning from them.

“Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins (Young Adult Bracket winner)

The original trilogy by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian series set in a future world called Panem, where the wealthy Capitol controls 12 districts and forces them to participate in an annual event called the Hunger Games. The series follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, a young girl who becomes a symbol of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol. Themes of survival, sacrifice, the effects of violence and war, and the manipulation of media are explored in each book. It critiques inequality, government control, and the human cost of power, while also depicting Katniss’ personal journey from a reluctant survivor to a leader in a revolution. “Sunrise on the Reaping”, the most recent book published by Collins, is the second prequel novel to the original “Hunger Games” trilogy. The film release of this book is currently set for November 2026.

“The Lord of the Rings” series by J.R.R. Tolkien (Adult Bracket Winner)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy is a high-fantasy epic set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. It follows the journey of a young hobbit, Frodo Baggins, as he is entrusted with the responsibility of destroying a powerful artifact known as the One Ring, which has the potential to bring great evil to the world. This captivating series is rich in lore and is a tale of heroism, self-sacrifice, and friendship, exploring the nature of power and its capacity to corrupt, as well as the enduring hope for good to triumph over evil. The books are set in a highly detailed world filled with elves, dwarves, men, and other mythical creatures, and they explore themes of fate, free will, and the importance of standing up against overwhelming darkness.

Have you read any of the winning series? If not, I encourage you to check them out and see why they were the top recipients of the community’s voting. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Spring Showdown voting and for the Friends of the Library for providing the prizes for the winners! Also, a big thank you to Kelly at Viking Headquarters for helping with the behind-the-scenes work and making this program possible.

Krista Kugler is the Children’s Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library